[News] Biden recinds state sponsor of terrorism designation for Cuba

[Anti-Imperialist News]

*Senior U.S. administration officials, who previewed the announcement on 
the condition of anonymity, said ”many dozens” of political prisoners 
and others considered by the U.S. to be unjustly detained would be 
released by the end of the Biden administration at noon on Jan. 20. *

*The U.S. would also ease some economic pressure on Cuba, as well as a 
2017 memorandum issued by then-President Donald Trump toughening U.S. 
posture toward Cuba 
<https://apnews.com/article/b7b38b001b354e7785997ade76e4d9be>. *


https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/14/certification-of-rescission-of-cubas-designation-as-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism/
whitehouse.gov 
<https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2025/01/14/certification-of-rescission-of-cubas-designation-as-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism/> 



  Certification of Rescission of Cuba’s Designation as a State Sponsor
  of Terrorism | The White House

The White House
January 14, 2025
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Certification of Rescission of Cuba’s Designation as a State Sponsor of 
Terrorism

Pursuant to the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and 
consistent with sections 1754(c) and 1768(c) of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c) and 4826(c)), 
I hereby certify with respect to the rescission of the determination of 
January 12, 2021, regarding Cuba that:

      (i)  The Government of Cuba has not provided any support for 
international terrorism during the preceding 6-month period; and

      (ii)  The Government of Cuba has provided assurances that it will 
not support acts of international terrorism in the future.

This certification shall also satisfy the provisions of section 
620A(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371(c)(2)), 
section 40(f)(1)(B) of the Arms Export Control Act, Public Law 90-629, 
as amended (22 U.S.C. 2780 (f)(1)(B)), and, to the extent applicable, 
section 6(j)(4)(B) of the Export Administration Act of 1979, Public Law 
96-72, as amended (50 U.S.C. App.2405(j)), and as continued in effect by 
Executive Order 13222 of August 17, 2001.

  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

apnews.com 
<https://apnews.com/article/biden-cuba-terrorism-designation-a0e2f003ce7100e6a845ef7ed6e96a1b> 



  Biden moves to lift state sponsor of terrorism designation for Cuba,
  part of deal to free prisoners

By MATTHEW LEE, AAMER MADHANI, COLLEEN LONG and ZEKE MILLER
January 14, 2025
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updated 12:01 PM PST, January 14, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday is notifying 
Congress of its intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba 
<https://apnews.com/hub/cuba> as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White 
House announced, as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to 
free political prisoners on the island.

Senior U.S. administration officials, who previewed the announcement on 
the condition of anonymity, said ”many dozens” of political prisoners 
and others considered by the U.S. to be unjustly detained would be 
released by the end of the Biden administration at noon on Jan. 20.

The U.S. would also ease some economic pressure on Cuba, as well as a 
2017 memorandum issued by then-President Donald Trump toughening U.S. 
posture toward Cuba 
<https://apnews.com/article/b7b38b001b354e7785997ade76e4d9be>.

The determination by the outgoing one-term Democrat is likely to be 
reversed as early as next week after Trump, the Republican who is now 
president-elect, takes office and Secretary of State-designate Marco 
Rubio 
<https://apnews.com/article/trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-25664371f80dcf3332838352165e4d48> 
assumes the position of America’s top diplomat.

Rubio, whose family left Cuba in the 1950s before the communist 
revolution that brought Fidel Castro 
<https://apnews.com/article/cuba-florida-obituaries-5ef60f67cefb46869c5b6e5814588dec> 
to power, has long been a proponent of sanctions on the communist 
island. Rubio will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
on Wednesday for his confirmation hearing and is expected to address his 
Cuban roots in his testimony.

In the final days of Trump’s first administration, on Jan. 11, 2021, the 
White House reinstated the designation 
<https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mike-pompeo-cuba-venezuela-foreign-policy-41ddf75b0c13d290cd539d90e6227b0a>, 
which had been reversed during the period of rapprochement between Cuba 
and the United States during President Barack Obama’s second term in 
office. In doing so, the Trump administration cited Cuba’s support for 
Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, and its refusal to extradite 
Colombian rebels to Colombia, among other issues, including its 
continued harboring of wanted Americans.

The move to designate Cuba by Trump was one of several foreign policy 
moves he made in the final days of his first term.

Human rights groups and activists, including the U.S. Conference of 
Catholic Bishops, have been pressing the Biden administration to lift 
the designation.

Congress and the incoming Trump administration will have the opportunity 
to review and potentially reverse Biden’s actions, though the senior 
U.S. administration officials said the Biden administration had 
determined there was “no credible evidence” that Cuba was currently 
engaged in supporting international terrorism.

There was no immediate comment from the Trump transition team or from 
Rubio or his office, but one of his Republican colleagues on the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, quickly denounced the 
Biden administration move.

“Today’s decision is unacceptable on its merits,” Cruz said in a 
statement. “The terrorism advanced by the Cuban regime has not ceased. I 
will work with President Trump and my colleagues to immediately reverse 
and limit the damage from the decision.”
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